If you're feeling mildly mutinous about anything in life, now is the time to turn that feeling into a mountainous experience, and in the words of one of New Zealand's greatest achievers - Edmund Hillary - ‘knock the bastard off'.

It's time to change your altitude and embark on the epic community dare that is the More FM Mount Everest Challenge, which is back for the eighth year in a row.

Mount your blessings, grab your mates – in a socially distanced kind of way – register as a team and get climbing Mauao. Not once, but 38 times in 50 days and help More FM raise money for this year's chosen charity, Good Neighbour.

Good Neighbour provides practical opportunities for people to support one another so that lives and neighbourhoods are transformed. There are five ways they do this – through food rescue, projects, community gardens, kitchen and whānau care.

You can do the More FM Mount Everest Challenge as an individual or as a team. And by climbing it 38 times, you will have climbed the equivalent of Mount Everest right here in the beautiful Bay of Plenty.

More FM's Promotion Intern Katherine Marr and Promotions Manager Kelsey Harrap on the stone steps of Mauao. Photo: John Borren.

The combination of doing good and raising funds for charity, while also blowing out the valves on a stimulating climbing workout, spins the wheels for many who have been returning year after year to see who can raise the most.

Already 20 teams and ten participants have registered, with over $1000 already raised, and Claire Baker, who broke her foot last year, is at the top of the leader board on Givealittle.

Over the last eight years, More FM has raised $462,000 for local charities. In 2015, $95,000 was raised for surf clubs, while in 2016, Homes of Hope was the chosen charity with $45,000 raised.

The list goes on: 2017 - Women's Refuge, $71,000; 2018 - Waipuna Hospice, $120,000; 2019 - Riding for the Disabled, $63,000; 2020 - Rescue Helicopter, $32,800. Last year St Johns received $36,200.

More FM wants to continue to grow this to support various charities in the Bay of Plenty, but they can only do it if people seize hold of this challenge, whether it's participating in climbing or donating to those who are.

'This year we really wanted to choose a local charity that changes people's lives for the better - especially during the current climate,” says More FM promotions manager Kelsey Harrap.

'Good Neighbour is such an important part of our community and we can't wait to help raise funds to support them through its ongoing projects. I will be doing the challenge myself and can't wait to see the public up the Mount getting involved.”

Challenge dates this year are Sunday, February 13 to Sunday, April 3.

To register a team, or to donate, visit: www.givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/more-fm-mount-everest-challenge-2022